Today we are having a talk with Karen, who you might know from her @shelovespopcorn Instagram account where she shares beautiful pictures of her homemade, mouth watering Gerson meals.

Karen started working with Nicolette Richer a little over a year ago. She was suffering from a number of health issues she wanted to give the boot once and for all.

What health issues were you suffering from?

There were a few. I had auto-immune arthritis for over 20 years which I was able to manage with diet and lifestyle. I also was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, hypothyroidism which affects my energy level and metabolism, chronic fatigue syndrome and severe migraines.

I never found any conventional medical treatment that helped me as I do not respond well to medication.

There was not as much information about leaky gut syndrome as there is now. I had been through a very long phase of extreme stress and probably maxed-out on cortisol which affected my gut. This contributed to my inability to absorb nutrients and not get healthy again despite being on a primarily plant based diet already. I have been dairy free for over 20 years and gluten free for over 5 years.

Do you think your diet was a cause of your health issues?

Although I had had a very healthy diet for a long time, apparently it was not clean enough, nor did it have the juices or detoxification enhancers, like the Gerson Therapy diet has.

My energy levels and my ability to be active kept getting lower and lower. I even put on weight despite eating very little food. My quality of life was only diminishing. In the end, I was in and out of the hospital due to anaphylactic reactions to some foods.

After tiny meals, my stomach would swell up as if I was eight months pregnant. I was suffering a lot.

How did you find the Gerson therapy and Richer Health?

In my search for a way to heal, I started studying up on other, alternative treatments. I came across the Gerson Therapy again, which I had known for a couple of years, but remember never being ready for it before. The commitment just seemed too much at that time. I think you could say I was not yet suffering enough.

I heard about Richer Health and Nicolette’s workshops from a mutual friend. I learned about her "Eat to Beat Cancer and Chronic Disease” workshop on the Sunshine Coast, but couldn’t go so I made a promise to myself to go to the next one, no excuses.

I went to the Whistler one later that year. I almost did not make it due to my deteriorating health. It was so difficult to get there and participate. I was really unwell but needed it more than ever.

What aspect of the workshop really made the difference for you?

Nicolette shared, very hands on, how you can apply the Gerson Therapy at home. This workshop was very practical which was beneficial as I am a hands on learner especially inthe kitchen.

That workshop became the start of my Gerson journey. After, I continued applying thetherapy at home, had a couple of follow up consults with Nicolette and have been living a“Gerson Life” ever since. I’ve been doing the Gerson therapy for well over a year now.

Why did you start the Instagram account?

Being on the Gerson therapy, I know how much effort and energy it costs to stay inspired and motivated so I started the Instagram account hoping to help others. I wanted to share my learning curve so others could benefit from my efforts.

A few of @shelovespopcorn's photos on Instagram

By giving them some daily inspiration and motivation, I also keep myself motivated. So it works both ways.

It is a challenge to come up with something new and inspiring every day, to be creative with the ingredients I have at hand, making sure the meals stay flavorful and varied.

We eat with our eyes first so it’s important for me to create dishes that look great as well as fuel and heal the body.

WHAT GERSON PROTOCOL ARE YOU FOLLOWING?

I am on the non-malignant schedule. This entails having nine juices a day: three green juices, five carrot juices, and one orange juice. And doing three enemas a day: one in the morning, one in the afternoon and one before dinner.

Because I am doing better I am now down to two enemas a day, one in the morning and one before dinner.

HOW DID THE SENSITIVITY TO FOOD EVOLVE IN THIS PAST YEAR YOU STARTED THE THERAPY?

I found out I was having a general food sensitivity in part because of the toxic load I hadaccumulated over time. Extensive dental work was a contributing factor to that. This wasaffecting my ability to be healthy and well.

Because I was not capable of being physically active, I was not sweating anything out. Byenabling my body to detoxify through the organic diet, juices, supplements, and coffeeenemas, the key elements of the Gerson Therapy, my gut started healing and the foodsensitivities improved.

This was such a relief! Before, I was literally feeling like a walking, toxic body. All thosetoxins stayed trapped inside me. I could not get rid of them until I started working withNicolette.

The Gerson Therapy was just what I needed. By constantly flushing my body with clean,healthy nutrients and doing the coffee enemas my body could finally safely release all thosetoxins it wasn’t able to get rid of before.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER CHANGES SINCE STARTING THE GERSON THERAPY?

My physical activity level has increased since starting the Gerson Therapy. Where I was not even able to do my own groceries or meal prep before, I am now able to go shopping and even carrying the bags into the house myself.

This increase in my energy level and physical strength is a huge step. It makes addressing and managing my health issues plus administering the Gerson Therapy less draining. I feel my overall health has only improved since I decided to Eat Real to Heal.

Have you made some healthy, healing meals lately? We'd love to hear about it. Share your experiences and photos in the comments below.

She loves going off the beaten path, following her (gut)- feeling and isn't shy to try new stuff. After all, nothing beats experiencing something yourself.

As a former university college teacher, researcher, independent (sports)dietitian and jack of all trades at a vegan restaurant, she has now discovered her life goal of teaching & helping others to work towards a healthy, energised life filled with love, peace & happiness.